CCA Newsroom

Forged in independence, laid low by regulatory constraints, America's original fishing port told its story in many voices from many perspectives Tuesday, appealing to one arm of the U.S. Commerce Department for relief to help survive the harm done by another.

ABOARD THE M/V SANDUSKY —— The Chesapeake Bay's bounty was turned into a macabre tableau Monday morning as an illegal net at least 600 yards long and filled with decaying striped bass and other fish was partially pulled from the waters off Tilghman Island.

The aquaculture company Balfegó, has introduced a new method for tuna consumers to know where and when the fish that they are eating was caught, when it was slaughtered, how much weighed and the implemented quality controls.

The Louisiana Artificial Reef Program was established in 1986 to take advantage of obsolete oil and gas platforms which were recognized as providing habitat important to many of Louisiana's coastal fishes. Federal law and international treaty require these platforms to be removed one year after production ceases. The removal of these platforms results in a loss of reef habitat.

Despite being united last month in opposition to a proposed state House bill that seeks to give “game fish” status to three species, the Pender County commissioners have agreed to take another look at the issue during Monday's meeting.

What is Rigs-to-Reefs and how does it relate to the mission of the Minerals Management Service (MMS)?

Posted on May 01, 2011

Rigs-to-Reefs is a term used for converting obsolete, nonproductive offshore oil and gas structures to designated artificial reefs. From research and assessment of the environmental effects of oil and gas leasing and development, the MMS has documented a profound and pervasive connection between fish, fishing, and oil and gas structures in the marine environment.

The Gulf of Mexico lack natural reefs. Not long after platforms first appeared in the Gulf, fishermen found that they caught more fish near platforms. Subsequent research found that the platforms act as artificial reefs, attracting and enhancing fish populations.

Rigs-to-reefs is the heart of the Texas Artificial Reef Program. It primarily involves the recycling of obsolete petroleum platforms into permanent artificial reefs rather than allowing them to be taken ashore as scrap. Rigs make ideal artificial reefs because they are environmentally safe, are constructed of highly durable and stable material that withstands displacement or breakup and already support a thriving reef ecosystem.